It all starts with a powerful, balanced and
athletic bull! With an emphasis on fertility,
calving ease and heavy
weaning weights, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re
meeting the demands of our
commercial bull customers.

For those of us feeling somewhat geographically challenged, now is the time to review what we should have learned in
middle school. Way back then, countries on the other side of the planet seemed so very far away. Their cultures and languages
were different. Unless we saw other parts of the world in the military, it wasn’t likely we would have a need to know all that
much about undeveloped or emerging countries.
During the 1960s and 70s, the U.S. beef industry experienced extraordinary imports of European cattle and new breeds.
Although Charolais had been a part of the American beef industry landscape for a couple of decades, our industry saw an
expansion of beef cattle imports, including Charolais, as well as adding breeds we had never heard of, such as Chianina,
Gelbvieh, Limousin, Simmental and Salers, just to name a few.
These breeds, mostly from France, Germany and Italy, not only brought very different genetics to a predominantly Angus
and Hereford registered seedstock business, but the breeds represented new opportunities. Cattle feeders and packers became
interested in a steer that could produce more pounds of red meat with less fat. We were still many years from a true valueadded system, but the proverbial light switch came on.
Until recently, largely due to geopolitical barriers and lack of global demand, the U.S. has effectively been prohibited from
exporting live cattle en masse. Some registered producers had limited success in exporting embryos and semen distribution
companies have exported frozen semen for many years. Our North American neighbors, both Canada and Mexico, have been
consistent buyers of U.S. registered seedstock for many years. Today, however, the pins on the map are beginning to regularly
exceed our continent.
In the April issue of the Charolais Journal, Robert Williams reported the increased interest in U.S. genetics from many other
parts of the world. Robert discussed the projected global population increase in the next 25 years. Robert reported a significant
increase of breeding females exported from 2007 through 2012.
Wes Ishmael, in a recent article written for BEEFVet, actually reported a 38% increase of breeding female exports from
2011 through 2012, with cattle going to at least 22 countries. The same article reported nearly 1,500 U.S. breeding bulls were
exported to 17 countries last year.
Any producer that has successfully executed a sale to countries outside North America will tell you the process is
complicated and tedious. Most of those same producers will tell you the process is worth pursuing, but requires extraordinary
patience and a great veterinarian willing to work with a country you may know little or nothing about, foreign emissaries, the
federal government and monumental logistical hurdles.
The global population increase reported by Robert and others is not simply an abstract number. The U.S. will undoubtedly
continue to be relied upon to supply food to the world. What’s different is the fact that emerging countries are realizing that
in order to sustain their cultures, economies and improve the quality of life for their citizens, governments must invest in
sustainable food production systems where geographically possible.
The world is relying on us to continue to educate our own rural population, and develop technology and business
models that enable the next generation to return to the family farm or ranch. The world is relying on us to continue to make
genetic advancements that have the potential to produce more meat protein using fewer resources. Already, many countries
are relying on us to provide intellectual information and, in some cases, personnel and direction as they develop efficient,
sustainable beef production systems. And finally, those countries are relying on our registered seedstock industry’s supply of
genetically advanced beef cattle to populate their systems.
Many years ago, as feeders and packers were realizing the value of more red meat and less fat, Charolais was the first
continental breed to meet the industry’s rigid test. The beef industry has harnessed the power of incredible intellect, used
science and developed technology to advance beef production beyond our wildest imagination a half-century ago.
Many of us may never consider far off parts of the world as our market. But, you can bet they see our production system
as a pathway to their own sustainability. Some of the countries purchasing registered U.S. seedstock didn’t exist 20 years ago.
Most likely that’s why we couldn’t point to it on a map today. At least that’s my story!

Your Link to Performance

Your Link to Performance

Performance Matters –

Our Bulls sire calves that come
easy and grow fast.

Over the last 3 years, our bulls

•
•
•
•

averaged an actual BW of 75 lbs.
averaged adjusted WW of 663 lbs.
WW EPD averaged in the top 30%
YW EPD averaged in the top 25%

Thanks for the opportunity to show you bulls —
we’d like to work with you!
16

17

Genetic tracking could become
a major tool for commercial cattlemen
in the near future.

by Taylor Greenstreet

The American-International Charolais
Association co-hosted along with the
University of Illinois and the National
Program for Genetic Improvement of Feed
Efficiency in Beef Cattle the Charolais
on Feed field day on August 22, 2013 in
Champaign, IL. The event was attended
by cattle breeders representing multiple
breeds across the United States along with
visitors from Mexico in attendance. The
group toured the University’s beef farm
and heard presentations from the leading
researchers working to improve the feed
efficiency and profitability of beef cattle.
“Producers need to be engaged and
incorporate technology to be successful
in the beef industry nowadays,” said Dr.
Douglas Parrett, Extension Specialist and
interim Head of the Animals Sciences
Department at the University of Illinois,
illustrating the ever-changing world
of research and technology that cattle
producers need to adapt in order to be
successful. This proved to be the theme
of the day.
The morning began with a tour of
the University of Illinois’s beef research
farm, which opened in 2004. Producers
were shown the Metabolism Research
18

Barn; where researchers are able to
take samples directly from the rumen
of fistulated cattle in order to conduct
digestibility and nutrition trials. Dr. Dan
Shike, Assistant Professor of Animal
Sciences at the University of Illinois,
explained that they are then able to pair
the digestibility trials with feedlot growth
to answer changes in the performance of
the animals.
Dr. Shike also stressed the importance
of good documentation, “We need good
data! We must collect good information,
document practices, look for profit
opportunities, and be ahead of the curve.”
One of the interesting features of the farm
is its GrowSafe System. This system allows
researchers to collect individual feed
intake data on 900 head of cows or feedlot
calves. Each animal has its own marker
tag – allowing for individual intake data
to be electronically transferred into a
computer system and analyzed.
Other highlights of the tour included
a feedstuff discussion with University of
Illinois farm manager, Tom Nash, and an
overview of the working facilities. After the
tour was over, producers had a chance
to look at the Charolais sired calves and

examine the data being collected at the
farms.
The second half of the day consisted of
presentations by leaders of the five million
dollar, multi-institutional feed efficiency
project. The goal of the project is to look
at the genetic merit of cattle for feed
efficiency to create genomic enhanced
EPDs to give to breeds, according to Dr.
Jerry Taylor, the Animal Science Wurdack
Chair of Animal Genomics Professor at
the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Dr. Jon Beever, Animal Sciences
Professor at the University of Illinois,
explained to producers the art of animal
breeding as a science. Dr. Beever said the
main tools for selection are phenotype,
in terms of measured performance and
uniformity, breeding values (EPDs) for
targeted performance, and the relatively
new tool, DNA genotypes. This new tool
allows producers to look at the DNA of
a specific animal and try to predict its
genetic merit - possibly accelerating
producers’ chances of creating the
best offspring. Dr. Beever stated that
commercial cattle producers will have
to be familiar with these technologies in
order to take full advantage of them as
well as understand the relation between
these traits and phenotype when it comes
to picking sires and dams.
Dr. Matt Spangler, Associate Professor
and Beef Extension Specialist for
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
presented the results of the Weight-Trait
Project (WTP), an integrated outreach
project that began in 2009. This project
includes participation from 24 seedstock
producers representing 7 major beef
breed associations. This resource,
which now includes over 30,000 DNA
samples, has been used to evaluate the
efficacy of this technology and to advance
19

statistical methodology for the inclusion
of genomics into EPDs. Dr. Spangler
emphasized that the benefit of this
technology is through the incorporation
of Molecular Breeding Values (MBV) into
EPD in order to increase the accuracy of
EPDs, particularly for young animals.
Dr. Spangler also added that visualization
aids in technology adoption. That is why
the WTP began with weight traits, as
producers can visualize them. He went
on to emphasize that even in the context
of genomic selection, routine phenotypes
are critical to collect.
The project also has educational
benefits, according to Dr. Spangler,
because it allows the producer to make
more informed decisions. “Some of the
future directions,” he said, “include feed
intake/efficiency, sequence data, and
marker assisted management.”
Genomically enhanced EPD and
Selection Indexes were the topics of the
presentation by Dr. Bob Weaber, Associate
Professor and Extension Specialist at
Kansas State University. He explained
to the producers that by averaging the
dam’s EPD and the sire’s EPD you get
the pedigree estimate EPD. This is a good
starting point, but Dr. Weaber emphasized
that we want to get the estimate closer
to the true progeny difference. Data
collection, whether from phenotypic
records or genomic information, helps
to inform the EPD predictions thereby
adding accuracy.
DNA markers can be a helpful source
of information for improving the accuracy
values of EPD especially for traits that
are hard or expensive to measure, such
as disease, stayability, and reproduction.
DNA markers are very useful for parentage
ID and pedigree validation for seedstock
producers, as well as when working

with qualitative traits with an economic
impact, such as horned vs. polled, color,
etc.
“Commercial
producers
want
accuracy!” Dr. Weaber emphasized.
He explained that a DNA marker test
only provides information on part of an
animals genetic merit for a trait since not
all genomic regions that contribute to
variation in a trait are identified. On the
other hand, an EPD tells the cumulative
effect of all genes and their interactions
on a trait. A genomic-enhanced EPD (GEEPD) uses both of these technologies
together, giving producers integrated
information at the same time increasing
the accuracy of the EPD and subsequent
selection indexes.
Dr. Shike, assistant professor of
Animal Sciences at the University of
Illinois, talked to the attendees from a
different angle, sharing the findings from
feed efficiency studies at the University
of Illinois. He explained how variation in
feed efficiency leaves room for selection
opportunities and improvement.
“Producers and feeders are interested
in profit, and the traditional focus has
been on outputs. However, we need to
look at inputs and see where there is
room to improve,” said Dr. Shike.
According to Dr. Shike, the best
measure for feed efficiency depends on
whether you are talking about a feedlot or
a cowherd and whether you are focusing
on selection or research. Dr. Shike agreed
with the other presenters that there is a
need to continue to collect phenotypes in
order to understand the relationship of
traits and then geneticists will determine
the best tools for selection.
Dr. Taylor of the University of MissouriColumbia was the final presenter of the
afternoon. He explained that through
20

genomic selection, one can take a
group of animals with an economically
important phenotype and can then
genotype them with an assay and try to
estimate their genetic value/merit. So far,
they have genotypes for 2,400 animals
from six breeds with a high-density SNP.
By the end of 2013, they hope to have a
total of 9,000 animals genotyped. This
information provides data for building
models which will, in turn, be given to the
breed associations to aid producers. In
the future, the project could become an
international tool by exchanging data with
other countries.

The GrowSafe System is being used to collect
individual feed intake data on Charolais sired calves.

Dr. Doug Parrett welcomes cattlemen from
15 states and Mexico.
Procedure in the metabolism Research Barn
was explained.

The GrowSafe system was explained.

The Charolais Field day provided beef
producers from across all breeds the
opportunity to come together to network
and learn more about the developing
technology that could soon be an impactful
tool in the beef industry. Knowledge of
this up-and-coming technology could
soon prove to be a game-changer in both
the herd and in the pocketbook, making
events like this even more helpful to
producers of all ages.

21

Various feed ingredients and usage
were presented.

Wakefield Farms –

A name you can trust for Performance Tested Charolais Bulls Since 1962

50+ Years of Producing
Functional Seedstock
Thanks to our bull customers! WF
bulls are bred to calve easily; have
powerful growth and carcass traits;
quiet dispostions and are backed by
a highly maternal cowherd.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HETEROSIS
WITH A PROVEN BULL PROGRAM
Three Ways to Increase Your Pr

F

ofits

or over 40 years you’ve known us for our outstanding Hereford cattle.We have
also been producing top quality Angus and Charolais cattle for 17 years. All of
our breeding programs are built on the top genetics in their respective breeds.
We provide proven crossbreeding components that will add pounds to your calves and
work in your environment. For maternal traits,
beef quality, muscle and durability, we have
the options. We use these cattle in our own
commercial program and finish them in the
feedlot. We know what they will do for you.

Helping Charolais producers do and achieve more with educational
clinics & many quality products. Visit our web site to find your local
Gallagher dealer and to see our full line of electric fencing, weighing,
data collection and Miraco watering systems.
While you are there, be sure to look for upcoming fencing and grazing
clinics in your area.